Holy Spirit PNCC

For our brother Ś.P. Peter:

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and may the perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace. Amen.

Wieczne odpoczynek racz mu dać Panie, a światłość wiekuista niechaj mu świeci.
Niech odpoczywa w pokoju, Amen.

Ś.P. Peter Vercz, age 85, of Mohawk, passed away at Bassett Healthcare in Cooperstown on Aug. 9, 2011, with his loving family at his side.

Peter was born on July 11, 1926, in Columbia Center, the son of the late Elek and Justyna (Krushynski) Wereszczak. He was educated in Mohawk schools and was a lifelong resident of the Mohawk Valley. He married Carol Osley on July 20, 1984, in Herkimer, and at the time of his passing, they were married 27 years, sharing a loving and committed relationship.

Peter was a World War II U.S. Army veteran, entering on Dec. 8, 1944, and was honorably discharged on Nov. 26, 1946, having served in the Philippine Islands. He was the owner and operator of Peter Vercz Construction Company.

Peter was very active with the German Flatts Town Park, a member of the United Polka League and the National American Legion. He was also a member of Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church in Little Falls.

Peter was a “history buff” and had a great admiration for the Civil War, visiting battle sites along with his wife. He was an avid fisherman and loved watching the birds, deer and turkey that came into his yard, a true wildlife watcher. He enjoyed dancing the polka, his collection of blacksmithing and loved to build. Peter loved his family, his wife, children and grandchildren, and considered them to be the most important part of his life.

Survivors include his wife, Carol; his two sons, Paul and Michael Vercz, of Mohawk; his two daughters, Barbara March and husband, Owen, of Mohawk, and Michele Morton, of Little Falls; nine grandchildren, Michael Vercz, Rachel O’Brien, Zachary Vercz, Owen March, Robert March, Thomas March, Sarah March, Tara Lurz and Ray Morton; a brother, Alek Wereszczak and wife, Margaret, of Herkimer; four sisters, Kay Wereszczak, of Utica, Olga Pyc, of Ilion, Mary Langow, of Cedarville, and Ann Cioch, of Herkimer; mother-in-law, Frances Osley, of Herkimer; brother-in-law, Stephen Osley, of Mohawk; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by a brother, Nicholas Vercz.

The family will receive friends and relatives at the Enea Family Funeral Home, 220 N. Washington St., Herkimer (866-1011), on Friday evening, Aug. 12, 2011, from 5 to 7 p.m. A prayer service will be conducted at the funeral home at 5:30 p.m. The funeral will commence on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011, at 8:15 a.m. from the Enea Family Funeral Home, with a funeral Mass at 9 a.m. at Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church, Gansevoort Street, Little Falls, with Fr. Rafal Dadello, Pastor, officiating. Procession will follow to Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Cemetery, town of Herkimer, where he will be laid to rest. Military honors will be accorded by the U.S. Army.

Memorial contributions may be made in Peter’s memory to the National Kidney Foundation or Mass intentions to Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church.

The Utica Observer Dispatch features a gallery of photos from the Polish Heritage Celebration at Chancellor Park, part of Utica Monday Nite on August 1st. Our very own Janice Kupidlowski-Rogers and Karen Filipski are shown serving the wonderful Polish food we were offering. Our Parish Chairman, John Rogers is shown enjoying a Polka with Julie Jacobs.

Thank you to all who turned out to dance, enjoy good food, and celebrate heritage.

For our sister Ś.P. Anna:

Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord and may the perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace. Amen.

Wieczne odpoczynek racz jej dać Panie, a światłość wiekuista niechaj jej świeci.
Niech odpoczywają w pokoju, Amen.

St. Johnsville, N.Y. — Mrs. Anna Bladek, age 97, formerly of Old Meadow Road, most recently residing with her granddaughter, Bethany, and husband, Marc, and their children, Trevor and Caelan, on Prospect Avenue, Gloversville, entered into eternal rest peacefully on Saturday evening, July 23, 2011. At the time of her passing, which occurred at the Nathan Littauer Hospital, Gloversville, she had the love and support of her family by her side.

She was born on March 24, 1914, in Windber, Pa., daughter of the late John and Katherine (Seredich) Zazwirsky, and educated in Pennsylvania and Fairfield schools. She lived most of her life in the Little Falls area before moving to St. Johnsville in the early 1990s. On June 10, 1934, she was joined in marriage with John J. Bladek at Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church, Little Falls, a blessed union of 56 years until Mr. Bladek’s passing on April 5, 1991. For many years, Anna assisted her late husband in the operation of the Bladek Family Farm on Snells Bush Road, Little Falls. She was, at one time, employed with Melrose Slipper Co., Little Falls. Anna was a member of the Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church, Little Falls, and the church Adoration Society. She also belonged to the Danube Home Bureau, Little Falls Polish Community Home (life member), AARP of Herkimer County, Nowadaga Grange of Newville, Herkimer County Pomona, New York State Grange and the Rock City Chapter Order of the Eastern Star.

Anna loved crafts and making Ukrainian eggs. She enjoyed gardening, cooking and golfing in her spare time. She spent her happiest moments in the company of her loving family who will dearly miss her.

Survivors include her loving family: her son, John Bladek, and wife, Thelma, of Little Falls; two daughters, Toshie Wilson, of Wilmington, Del., and Teddie Colorito and husband, Rick, of St. Johnsville; a sister, Alice Sunderlin, of Yorkville; nine cherished grandchildren, Jodi, Ricky, Gary and wife, Amy, David and wife, Sue, Karen and husband, Dan, Doug and wife, Kelly, Jason and wife, Stephanie, Rebecca and husband, Brett, and Bethany and husband, Marc, with whom Anna lived with; and fifteen adored great-grandchildren, Samantha, Jillian, Michael, Melissa, John, Jesse, Jeremiah, Samuel, Hayley, Emma, Grace, Luke, Trevor, Caelan and Ada. Also surviving are many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to acknowledge her very special friends, Deb and Dan Porter, Josephine (Buff) Colorito, Ruth Gorski and Peg and Brian Patrei. She was preceded in death by a sister, Olga Fox, and by six brothers, George, William, Vladimir, Richard and Eugene Marko and John Zazwirsky.

Relatives and friends are invited to visitation at the Enea Family Funeral Home, 24 W. Monroe St., Little Falls, on Thursday, July 28, 2011, from 4 to 7 p.m. The funeral will commence at 11 a.m. on Friday, July 29, from Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church, with the Rev. Rafael Dadelo, Pastor, officiating. Procession will follow to Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest with her husband, John. Father Dadelo will offer a prayer service at 5 p.m. on Thursday evening at the funeral parlor. Kindly consider memorial offerings in Mrs. Bladek’s name to the Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church or Mountain Valley Hospice; envelopes will be available at the funeral home.

The family would like to acknowledge the third floor nurses and aides at Nathan Littauer Hospital for the excellent care and compassion given during her hospital stay and a special thank you to Kathleen Jablonski and the staff of Hospice for the care and support provided to all. Members of the Eastern Star will conduct a 5 p.m. service on Thursday at the funeral home.

The parish will be selling Polish food during the following events:

July 15th, Little Falls Bicentennial Celebration in Eastern Park, Little Falls from 7-9pm featuring Tony’s Polka Band.

Aug. 1st, Utica Monday Night, Chancellor Park at Bleecker & Kent, Utica starting at 6:30pm featuring Ed, Bill and the Boys Polka Band.

Sept. 24th, Holy Spirit’s Polka Fest 2011 at the E. Herkimer Fish and Game Club from 1-5pm featuring Tony’s Polka Band.

From the Herkimer Telegram: City of Little Falls, YMCA to present summer concert series

The city of Little Falls and the Little Falls Family YMCA will present the 2011 Summer Concert Series to begin on Friday, June 24, in Rotary Park.

Helen and Her Dixielanders Band will perform Dixieland, swing, blues and polka during the opening concert. Although the band is fairly new, forming only three years ago, it is something band leader Helen Maksymicz has always wanted to do. The band consists of a diverse group of local musicians, who love to have fun and share their talents.

The June 24 concert will begin at 7 p.m. and will conclude around 9 p.m. Refreshments and a Caribbean barbecue will be provided, as will a bounce house for children.

The concert will be part of the Great International Steamboat Festival that will feature over 20 steamboats and will be a Little Falls bicentennial event.

The second concert, to be performed by Tony’s Polka Band, will be held at Eastern Park on Friday, July 15, from 7 to 9 p.m. Tony’s Polka Band is a six-piece polka band based in Hagaman. Formed in 1997 by Tony Banewicz, the band has escalated from a family weekend pastime to an award winning ensemble. The group was named “Best Polka Band” by the American Accordionists’ Association in 2003 and four of the recordings released by the group have been named Grammy semi-finalists.

Ethnic food prepared by members of Holy Spirit National Catholic Church will be available during the July 15 concert, which will also serve as a Little Falls bicentennial event.

The third concert will be performed by The Easy Money Big Band, and will be held at Eastern Park on Friday, July 29, from 7 to 9 p.m. The Easy Money Big Band, based in Utica, is a 17-piece ensemble with two vocalists that uses original period arrangements of swing tunes from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. The band typically performs numbers made famous by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Patti Page, The Andrews Sisters, Jo Stafford and Glenn Miller.

The evening will also include an old fashioned pig roast prepared by members of the First Assembly of God. The concert is a Little Falls bicentennial event.

The fourth concert, held in conjunction with the 24th annual Little Falls Canal Celebration and the bicentennial celebration, will be held at Rotary Park on Aug. 10 from 6 to 9 p.m. Performing will be the Frank Stepanek Band. Stepanek is a three-time Grammy nominee, who played with reggae sensation Black Uhuru. The band plays a mix of reggae and reggae-style covers of classic rock and roll standards. The evening will also include a barbecue, canoe races and fireworks after dark.

The fifth and final summer concert held in conjunction with the Canal Celebration will be held on Friday, Aug. 12, at Eastern Park 7 to 9 p.m. Monkey & the Crow Bar band is a crowd favorite across the Northeast. The band plays a variety of songs and styles from Jerry Garcia’s “Sugaree,” Jimmy Buffet’s “Volcano” and Eric Clapton’s “Lay Down Sally,” to the Beatles, the Allman Brothers, Neil Young and everything in between, along with original selections.

For a list of current programs, updates and events happening at the Little Falls Family YMCA, visit the YMCA website. The concert series is made possible in part by the city of Little Falls, the Little Falls Family YMCA and supporting businesses.

All are invited to join our Parish family for a Father’s Day picnic on Sunday, June 19th in the church hall following Holy Mass.

On Sunday, June 26th there will be a Parish Committee meeting following Holy Mass.

Our Ham and Roast Pork Dinner will be served following Holy Mass on Sunday, May 1st. Everyone from our community is invited. Tickets will be available at the door. Call 315-823-0793 for more information.

• Saturday, April 9th, 4pm – Passion Sunday Vigil Holy Mass for the Catholic community in St. Johnsville, NY.
• Sunday, April 10th, 11am – Passion Sunday Holy Mass, Little Falls.
• Saturday, April 16th, 4pm – Palm Sunday Vigil Holy Mass for the Catholic community in St. Johnsville, NY.
• Sunday, April 17th, 11am – Palm Sunday Holy Mass, Little Falls.
• Tuesday, April 19th – Holy Mass of Chrism with Bishop John at St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Cathedral, Scranton, PA.
• Maundy Thursday, April 21st, 6pm – Holy Mass, Little Falls.
• Good Friday, April 22nd, 6pm – Solemn Liturgy of the Passion and Death of our Lord, Little Falls.
• Holy Saturday, April 23rd, 11am – Paschal blessing of water, new light and food, Little Falls.
• Holy Saturday, April 23rd, 6pm – Resurrection Vigil Holy Mass for the Catholic community in St. Johnsville, NY.
• Resurrection Sunday, April 24th, 9am – Resurrection Holy Mass with Procession.

Wednesday, March 9th is Ash Wednesday. Holy Mass and distribution of ashes will be at 6.00 p.m.

On every Friday during Lent (starting on March 11) are Stations of the Cross at 6.00 p.m.

Members of the Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church, PNCC, of Little Falls held their 84th annual parish meeting on Sunday January 30th.  The parish was formed in 1926. In the PNCC, all members have a voice and a vote. The Church is fully Catholic yet democratically organized and controlled. Churches may not be closed without the consent of the members of the parish.

The first Parish Committee consisted of the following trustees; John Lolo, Henry Wiernicki, John Fortuna, Peter Wojcicki, Peter Mikus and Alexander Mikus.  

The new committee, elected at the meeting, consists of Chairperson John Rogers, Vice-chair Teddie Colorito, Treasurer Francis Crandall, Financial Secretary Karen Filipski, Recording Secretary Janice Kupidlowski-Rogers and Directors Suzanne Bladek, Joan Crandall, Amy Brien, Tim Brien, Anita Dulak, Jimmy Filipski, Ron Hrobuchak, Gary Crandall, Jennifer Crandall and Ken Scherer.

The PNCC was organized in Scranton, PA in 1897.  Some of the differences between the denomination and Roman Catholicism are that PNCC priests are allowed to marry, the use of birth control is a personal decision, and the PNCC is democratically organized.

Holy Mass is normally offered at the church on Sundays at 11 a.m. and on Saturdays at 4 p.m. in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 32 West Main Street in St. Johnsville.

To learn more about the parish please call Fr. Rafal at (315) 823-0793.